An SEIU representative carries one of 3 boxes of signatures to Walt Disney headquarters in Burbank, CA. A delegation of Disneyland workers, their union representatives and their supporters delivered a petition with over 120,000 signatures to Disney Corporate Headquarters in Burbank to urge Disney CEO Robert Iger to implement a living wage for employees. The workers were not allowed on the property, but were allowed to deliver the signatures to a Disney representativeon Friday, June 15, 2018. (Photo by David Crane, Daily News/SCNG)

Disneyland workers and their union representatives brought a petition for pay increases with more than 120,000 signatures to the Walt Disney Company corporate headquarters in Burbank Friday.

The petition reportedly asks CEO Robert Iger to institute a living wage for park employees. The contract between the resort operator and many of its workers’ unions expires Saturday and negotiations for a new contract have been extended through next Friday, according to David Huerta, president of the Service Employees International Union United Service Workers West, which represents 3,300 Disneyland “castmembers” of the approximately 14,000 currently bargaining with the Mouse House.

Huerta added that the petition asks for wages to be increased to $18 an hour from the just-under $12 an hour he says Disneyland workers average now. Huerta and about 14 other people from his coalition were not allowed onto the Burbank lot, but he said via phone that a security officer took three boxes of the signed petitions at the front gate and promised to deliver them to Iger. The group left after that without incident, he added.

An SEIU representative carries one of 3 boxes of signatures to Walt Disney headquarters in Burbank, CA. A delegation of Disneyland workers, their union representatives and their supporters delivered a petition with over 120,000 signatures to Disney Corporate Headquarters in Burbank to urge Disney CEO Robert Iger to implement a living wage for employees. The workers were not allowed on the property, but were allowed to deliver the signatures to a Disney representativeon Friday, June 15, 2018. (Photo by David Crane, Daily News/SCNG)

David Huerta, SEIU President, attempts to deliver 120,000 signatures from Disney employees to CEO Robert Iger. A delegation of Disneyland workers, their union representatives and their supporters delivered a petition with over 120,000 signatures to Disney Corporate Headquarters in Burbank to urge Disney CEO Robert Iger to implement a living wage for employees. The workers were not allowed on the property, but were allowed to deliver the signatures to a Disney representative on Friday, June 15, 2018.
(Photo by David Crane, Daily News/SCNG)

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David Huerta, SEIU President, shows off some of over 120,000 signatures from Disney employees. A delegation of Disneyland workers, their union representatives and their supporters delivered a petition with over 120,000 signatures to Disney Corporate Headquarters in Burbank to urge Disney CEO Robert Iger to implement a living wage for employees. The workers were not allowed on the property, but were allowed to deliver the signatures to a Disney representative. (Photo by David Crane, Daily News/SCNG)

David Huerta, SEIU President, shows off some of over 120,000 signatures from Disney employees. A delegation of Disneyland workers, their union representatives and their supporters delivered a petition with over 120,000 signatures to Disney Corporate Headquarters in Burbank to urge Disney CEO Robert Iger to implement a living wage for employees. The workers were not allowed on the property, but were allowed to deliver the signatures to a Disney representative. (Photo by David Crane, Daily News/SCNG)

Disney employees are told to leave Walt Disney headquarters in Burbank, CA after trying to deliver signatures to CEO Robert Iger. A delegation of Disneyland workers, their union representatives and their supporters delivered a petition with over 120,000 signatures to Disney Corporate Headquarters in Burbank to urge Disney CEO Robert Iger to implement a living wage for employees. The workers were not allowed on the property, but were allowed to deliver the signatures to a Disney representative. (Photo by David Crane, Daily News/SCNG)

In the shadow of Walt Disney, Disneyland Employees listen to security as they are told to leave the property. A delegation of Disneyland workers, their union representatives and their supporters delivered a petition with over 120,000 signatures to Disney Corporate Headquarters in Burbank to urge Disney CEO Robert Iger to implement a living wage for employees. The workers were not allowed on the property, but were allowed to deliver the signatures to a Disney representative. (Photo by David Crane, Daily News/SCNG)

“It was a very peaceful and, I would say, respectable delivery of petitions,” Huerta explained.

Soon after this article was posted, an email from Disneyland Resort Communications and Public Affairs was sent with the following statement, attributed to spokesperson Liz Jaeger:

“This blatant stunt is nothing more than political grandstanding. We have an offer for our employees that includes a 36 percent increase to our minimum wage rates and significantly out paces the state’s scheduled minimum wage increases. We hope the union leadership does its job instead of creating these stunts and presents this robust offer to its members.”

The visit to Burbank came a day after some 150 Disneyland Resort workers staged the latest in several protests at the gates of the world-renowned theme park in Anaheim.

Bob Strauss has been covering film at the L.A. Daily News since 1989. He wouldn't say the movies have gotten worse in that time, but they do keep getting harder to love. Fortunately, he still loves them.